Block the Bridge – Block the Bill

The government is just weeks away from destroying the NHS forever.

This is an emergency.

On Sunday October 9th, UK Uncut will be on Westminster Bridge to block the bill.

IHOOPS will be joining them.

On one side of Westminster Bridge is Parliament. On 7th September, MPs in the Commons voted for the end of the NHS as we know it. Yet the coalition’s Health and Social Care bill was not in the Lib Dem manifesto. It was not in the Tory manifesto. None of us voted for this.

On the opposite side of the bridge is St Thomas’ Hospital, one of Britain’s oldest medical institutions. If the bill passes, hospitals like St Thomas’ will be sold to private corporations, the staff put on private payrolls and beds given over to private patients. Despite the government’s lies, this bill represents the wholesale privatization of the NHS and, with it, the destruction of the dream of comprehensive healthcare provided equally to all.

On October 12th, the Lords have a chance to vote down the bill, and a huge Liberal Democrat rebellion is brewing. We have one last chance to save our NHS.

On Sunday 9th October, just three days before the Lords vote, join UK Uncut in a spectacular act of mass civil disobedience to block the bill. By blocking Westminster Bridge we symbolically block the bill from getting from Parliament to our hospitals. Yes, it will be disruptive. Yes, it will stop the traffic. But this is an emergency and we have to shout as loud as we can.

Get to the middle of Westminster Bridge shortly before 1pm. When Big Ben strikes one, pick one of the tactics below and help block the bridge:

* Bring some fake blood and play dead
* Bring hospital radio to the bridge with some music and comedy
* Bring a nurse for a resuscitation skill-share
* Dress up in scrubs and perform an operation
* Enjoy a picnic overlooking Parliament
* Share stories about the the NHS
* Invite a friend from across the pond to describe the reality of a privatised healthcare system
* Invite older generations to describe a time before universal healthcare
* (if you’ve got other good ideas, email them to ukuncut@gmail.com)

Invite everyone you know to the Facebook event, and make sure you click ‘attending’ – the action will only go ahead if 1000 or more people plan to attend. We’ll be in close contact with St. Thomas’ before and during the protest to ensure access for emergency vehicles.

We will not let a coalition of millionaire politicians and private health lobbyists destroy our NHS.

Be on Westminster Bridge for 1pm on October 9th and together let’s block this bill from getting to our hospitals.